Editor Andrea bringing you the year in television. First, honorable mentions from our hosts. Our team loves great TV shows: "Derry Girls," "Andor," "The Sandman," "Yellowstone," and "Bluey." (Host Phil of Tap Society and Co-Owner Chuck are both in the Bandit Fan Club.) Host Cody of Norseman Distillery binged all of "Alone,” which might explain why Cody’s such a great fit for that rugged venue. Here’s what our staff had to say about TV in 2022:
Brenna’s Picks
A nod to “The Bear” (FX/Hulu) — the show is manageably consumed (a sensible eight episodes) and heartily served. Do you like drama? Comedy? A dash or six of anxiety? This show has it all, but not too rich in any direction. Is it a perfect show? No, but I think that’s what I like about it — there are some metaphorical visuals, dreamscapes, love letters to Chicago, boxes to check for “prestige” production — but the messy realness that happens in the kitchen, capturing the work-family dynamic so precisely, with that finely tuned balance of tension that can only be released with a laugh or a sob or a taste of a donut or just taking off your apron — it’s incredible. I found myself going back for seconds and complaining about brunch. Heard, Chef. — Vice President Brenna
Ira’s Picks
"Reservation Dogs" gets a lot of deserved accolades for being a top-flight series with an almost entirely Indigenous creative team on both sides of the camera. It doesn't get enough credit for being one of the most hilarious and keenly observed portrayals of growing up poor in flyover country ever to hit our screens. The young cast is close to perfect (Willie-Jack might be the single best character on television), at equal turns lovable, exasperating, and heartbreaking in the ways only teenagers can be. Maybe my favorite element of "Reservation Dogs," though, is the showcase it gives to great Indigenous character actors like Gary Farmer, Wes Studi, Sarah Podemski, and Zahn McClarnon. It's incredibly satisfying to watch actors who have spent much of their careers boxed into stereotypical or underdeveloped roles finally get to play funny, flawed, fully realized characters who get to be as weird and relatable as everybody else.
Honorable mentions: "Harley Quinn," which somehow spins a familiar R-rated superhero send-up into a surprisingly deep and sweet story of love and self-realization; "Hacks," which captures a rarely depicted form of female friendship while letting Jean Smart be a damn boss; "Resident Alien," which manages to be both a wacky sci-fi fish-out-of-water comedy/thriller and a charmingly dorky embrace of small-town America; and "Demon Slayer" and "My Hero Academia," which cranked out stunning, season-long action sequences that were intensely intimate and sprawlingly ambitious, respectively. — Editor Ira
Greg’s Picks
HBO Max’s TV output was a really sharp this year, whether it was top-tier releases like “House of the Dragon” setting up a new high-drama low-fantasy saga through breathless and satisfying time-jumps, or “Doom Patrol” delivering three seasons of Brenaissance content before the rest of the world caught back on to the return of one of Hollywood’s greatest talents. The two shows that had me most hooked were “Our Flag Means Death” and “Peacemaker.” Both shows addressed the issue of toxic masculinity: for the former, it was the soft and gentle crew of Rhys Darby’s Stede Bonnet that get (star/executive producer) Taika Waititi’s Blackbeard to unclench his iron grip. For the latter, we looked through the warped and fractured lens of Chris “Peacemaker” Smith, a DC antihero spun out of James Gunn’s re-spun “The Suicide Squad” movie. Both address the trauma of being raised by objectively evil men, both series are loaded with sublime, strange sequences, and both will have you begging the main characters to invent or attend therapy. And for “Peacemaker,” you’d better never skip that intro. — Events Specialist Greg
Ruby’s Picks
“Abbott Elementary” is a fastball down the middle of perfect, comfort food TV. Not to complain (I like “Succession” too!) but so much of TV right now is about being as cringey and outre as possible. Not “Abbott Elementary.” “Abbot Elementary” is about what if nice friends were doing their best at their hard job, and there were some gentle hijinks and really good jokes. There’s a perfect slow-burn will-they-or-won’t-they relationship between the main character, Janine (Quinta Brunson, the show’s creator) and wannabe-principal-turned-sub Gregory (Tyler James Williams of “Everybody Hates Chris” fame). There’s Lisa Ann Walter doing better Pennsylvania accent work than “Mare of Easttown.” There’s Janelle James absolutely crushing it as the incompetent, always-hustling (but ultimately goodhearted) principal Ava. There’s THE Sheryl Lee Ralph as Barbara Howard, the school’s elder stateswoman of competence. My only complaint is that real teachers at an underfunded school like this one aren’t taking their breaks (if they have them) together every day, but the show hits a nice balance between the realities of disinvested public schools and gentle sitcom goings on. I appreciate that the second season is hitting on the humor potential of children more than the first season, and I hope they go on for years. – Editor Ruby
Andrea’s Picks
And now Andrea’s back! The only memorable TV I watched in 2022 (not already mentioned) was season 2 of “The White Lotus” and pro wrestling. I don’t have much to say about “The White Lotus” that hasn’t already been meme’d to infinity on Twitter– Valentina, played by the inimitable Sabrina Impacciatore, and her relatable sapphic longing, everyone on the internet calling Michael Imperioli’s character Christopher Moltisanti, “Peppa Pig!”, Portia’s existential dread and very Gen-Z outfits, every moment of Jennifer Coolidge. It was appointment TV for me every Sunday night. I will miss it, until we visit the White Lotus again, maybe somewhere in Asia?! #takemeback
It’s now time to talk about pro wrestling. A lot happened in the wide world of professional wrestling to warrant a whole feature about it in the Friday-Know-it-All. A lot of what happened in wrestling was good, a lot of it was disappointing and made us Lime Spindrift drinkers look like salty haters. I just want to focus on the good and I love me a list, so behold! Here is my shortlist of Top Three Pro Wrestling Moments of 2022. Before I begin, the two (local) honorable mentions are the Trivia Mafia WWE Trivia Mafia theme night held last June and the F1rst Wrestling Saturday Night Nitro show held at the MALL OF AMERICA last September. Those were two of my fondest trivia and pro wrestling memories to date.
Babyface Andrea’s Top Three Pro Wrestling Moments of 2022
3. Stone Cold Returns at Wrestlemania: Stone Cold Steve Austin was one of the biggest household names from 1997 to 2002, but if you were to say that he would be stepping in the ring in 2022, you’d think it’d be part of a sponsorship from AARP. On the first night of WrestleMania 38, Stone Cold Steve Austin surprised fans by coming out of retirement for his first wrestling match in 19 years and the match against Kevin Owens was actually good and entertaining. Many Stone Cold Stunners were given.
2. The Elite put Elite back in All Elite Wrestling: After the Fall Out at Brawl Out, we didn’t see much of the Elite this fall. I didn’t watch “Being the Elite” regularly (I’m sorry! It always felt like an inside joke I wasn’t in on!) but I understood the loss that a lot of BTE fans felt when Kenny and the Young Bucks got suspended after the backstage fight after All Out 2022. When I saw the Elite return teaser on an episode of “Dynamite,” I was honestly enraptured. I immediately bought a ticket to a taping of “Dynamite” held the day before Thanksgiving in my hometown. The return of the Elite at Full Gear was good but it is the Best of 7 series of matches against Death Triangle where the Elite have come into their own in 2022. Watch for the entrance, stay for the CM Punk trolling.
1. BYE VINCE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! This is the year we said bye-bye to Vince McMahon. After a string of incidents and investigations that have surfaced this year, Vince McMahon decided to step down as President, CEO, and Head of Creative at WWE. I have not much else to say but to let out a big ol’ Ric Flair “WOOOOOO!” This happened in July and the WWE has only gotten better since this happened, in my opinion. Cheers to all the joy that wrestling will bring in 2023
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